Chapter 50: Bellowing

From one of the four gates of Warmir, flames suddenly rose into the night sky.

The signal burned bright—unmistakable.

Upon seeing it, the soldiers of the Kingdom of Lunoa began to move as one, their formation flawless, their steps perfectly aligned. These were men who had rested thoroughly during the day, conserving their strength for this very moment. Now, under the cover of darkness, they advanced with disciplined precision, like a single living entity.

“Major General Lawrence!”

At the rear command post, far from the advancing troops, a sharp, furious voice rang out.

It belonged to Princess Emma.

“…What is it, Your Highness, Second Princess Emma?”

“I was not informed of this!” Emma’s voice burned with anger, her composure cracking. “I was told that tonight would only be a rehearsal for a night raid! I was not told that an actual offensive would be carried out! Care to explain this situation!?”

Standing before her, Lawrence remained calm—almost unnervingly so. His expression did not falter in the slightest as he absorbed her fury.

“Judging that enemy activity was minimal today, we determined it to be the optimal opportunity for a night assault and moved the operation forward. My apologies for the delayed report.”

His tone was cool, measured—like water poured over flame.

“I see. How generous of me—I shall set aside, for the moment, your failure to report in a timely manner,” Emma said, her voice trembling with restrained fury. “Now then… I ask you this. Where is Noah—Brigadier General Willard?”

“….”

For the first time, Lawrence’s gaze shifted—if only slightly.

A subtle, almost imperceptible movement.

“You do know, don’t you…?”

“For the sake of this operation, he has proceeded to the front lines. By now, he should be inside the gate.”

There was no evasion in his answer.

Only quiet acknowledgment.

“Yes. I am aware,” Emma replied, her tone sharp. “Even so, he was not supposed to personally storm the position. He was meant to return. That was the plan. And I was supposed to accompany him. Was I not?”

“…It is not permitted for us to bring Your Highness to the very front lines.”

“That was my order!” Emma snapped. “Do you intend to defy the judgment of your superior officer!?”

“With all due respect, while Your Highness holds the rank of lieutenant general, you are first and foremost a princess. It is our absolute duty, as soldiers of the Kingdom of Lunoa, to ensure your safety.”

The logic was ironclad.

No matter what Emma said—no matter her rank—her status as royalty outweighed everything.

Even if she outranked both Noah and Lawrence within the military hierarchy, their actions could not be deemed insubordination so long as they were protecting a royal.

A royal’s life carried more weight than a lieutenant general’s authority.

That was why she was addressed not as “Lieutenant General,” but as “Her Highness, the Second Princess.”

And it was also why she had not been summoned to the royal war council in the capital, where only those of the highest ranks gathered.

“…Tch.”

Emma bit down on her lower lip, frustration and helplessness twisting within her.

“…Damn it. No matter what, the people around me always—”

“Your Highness,” Lawrence interrupted quietly. “I do not look down on you for being a woman. However, I am a soldier to my core—and a noble who has graduated from the officer academy. I ask for your understanding.”

No matter how fiercely Emma raged at him, Lawrence would not waver.

He had been taught, above all else, to protect the royal family.

And he would not regret that conviction.

“Brigadier General Willard has successfully completed his mission. We should conclude our role as well.”

“…Then hurry. Send word to rendezvous with him immediately,” Emma said, her voice tightening once more. “He is not only a brigadier general—he is also the sole heir of the Willard marquis family. He is not someone we can afford to lose.”

“Of course. Though, truth be told, we ought to restrain his eagerness to charge ahead… The difficulty is that he stands at the very core of the operation itself. It makes stopping him rather… complicated.”

“…How infuriating.”

Emma’s words fell like a quiet curse, layered with emotions too heavy to untangle.

“…Are you fond of him?”

The question slipped out from Lawrence almost absentmindedly, as he observed her from the side.

“…What?”

“Forgive me. It simply seems… unusual, how much you concern yourself with Brigadier General Willard. While his death would not be common, this is still a battlefield. It is not impossible.”

“…Haaah? I simply don’t want someone I’ve shared drinks with to die, that’s all—”

“It appeared to be something more. Was I mistaken?”

“…That tactless man simply doesn’t remember.”

Emma hesitated, just for a moment.

Then, as if resigning herself, she began to speak.

“I am royalty. He is the son of a marquis. It wouldn’t be strange if we had crossed paths as children, would it?” She paused, her gaze distant. “Do you remember? The incident when I was kidnapped.”

“Yes. No soldier could forget that event.”

“It was a private company that rescued me,” she continued. “And that company… was connected to Noah. In other words—the one who saved me was him.”

“…You had such a connection?”

“I am someone who repays her debts,” Emma said firmly. “I tried to thank him. And do you know what he said to me then? ‘It is a noble’s duty to save royalty. No reward is necessary’—something along those lines?

Do you think a merchant could survive with such noble-minded sentiment?” Emma scoffed faintly. “He laughed and said, ‘I’m just dirt, after all.’ And then he continued…”

She would never forget those words.

Not ever.

“‘Someday I’ll probably be cast out from my house, and unless I build it myself, there won’t be any place for someone like me. I can already hear the marching boots of war—my future is full of hardship. So… when the time comes, help me, alright? Next time, I’d like you to be the one to protect me.’”

“…How shameless.”

“Right!?” Emma shot back immediately, her voice rising again. “And because of those words, I—”

Her fist clenched tightly.

“—I decided to join the military. I swore that I would protect this country, and the people who live in it, as a soldier. And I told him—‘Then you can conduct your business safely within the country I protect.’ And do you know what he said?”

Her anger flared once more.

“He said, ‘It’s a promise,’ just like that! As if it were nothing!”

Her voice echoed sharply through the command post.

“He asked to be protected by me! That was the repayment he wanted! That’s why I’m here!”

“….”

“And yet that man casually walks onto the battlefield, stands at the very front—right in front of the woman he told to protect him!” she continued, her frustration spilling over. “He forgot those words so easily… stood before me as if nothing had happened! So I ignored him. Completely.”

She had taken it as an insult.

That he could greet her so casually—without a trace of recognition for what had passed between them—was something she could not forgive.

“He’s nothing more than someone I shared a drink with,” Emma said, crossing her arms, her voice cooling. “That’s why I care.”

“…I see. It seems Brigadier General Willard is rather worse than I thought.”

“Doesn’t he!?”

You fell for him when he saved you, didn’t you?

The thought rose naturally.

But Lawrence, exercising rare restraint, swallowed those words before they could escape.

Instead, he simply nodded along—quietly agreeing with Emma as she vented her frustration toward the utterly oblivious man at the center of it all.